Carapate Adventure Is A Modern Take On The Classic Teardrop Trailer

If you’re new to Van Clan, then you won’t already know about our unhealthy obsession with small travel trailers. While we love off road trucks, Four Wheel Campers, and pretty much all of the campervan conversions that we find on our travels through the internet, there’s just something about trailer life that we find very appealing. We’ve made it our mission to find out everything there is to know about all of the tiny trailer models out there on the market; from a futuristic off road trailer that looks like an X-Wing, to an Amphibious Camper that can float on water, if it’s small and screams alternative living, then we’re totally on board. Keeping on the boat-related theme, we recently stumbled across the Carapate Adventure, a new range of teardrop trailers with a modern vibe and some insanely cool features.

Have you always wanted to give Full Time Van Life a go? Are you tired of keeping up with the 9 to 5 job and dreaming of the perfect off grid adventure? Head over to our Van Lifers and Weekend Warriors Facebook Group and join our ever-growing community of vandwellers! Find out all there is to know about van life, speak to people about their van life costs, and pass on vanlife tips and tricks that you’ve learnt on the road!

Camper designs are always changing, and we love the fact that so many companies are trying to ‘reinvent the wheel’, so to speak. The teardrop trailer is a classic design that can be found throughout the world, and while some might think it sacrilege to swap things around a little bit, we welcome the change with open arms (it gives us more things to write about, after all!). That’s enough dribble from me; it’s time to put on your best clothes and get shipshape and Bristol fashion, as you’re about to meet the Carapate Adventure for the very first time!

The Carapate Adventure Is The Newest Travel Trailer On The Block!

I feel like I should apologise at the very beginning for what you’re about to read. I REALLY like wooden trailers and wood cladded vehicles, so this might get a little bit intense at some points. If you feel nauseous or a little awkward, just carry on scrolling until you find a part that you feel comfortable with. Anyway, on with the show! The Carapate Adventure might not instantly look like a Teardrop Camper at first glance, but if you look at those smooth curved lines and little hatch door, you can start to see the influences that Carapate have drawn on to create this nifty little trailer.

Let’s talk about the exterior first. Thanks to the wooden vibe running throughout and the blue colour scheme, it does make you think of a little tugboat that you might see trundling along the Thames. It’s made from marine-grade plywood too, so you know it’s going to be strong and durable through the harshest of weathers. Just don’t actually try putting it into the water; you won’t want to risk causing it any damage once you’ve checked out the inside!

Here are a few stats for you to chew over before we head into the inside of this nautical towable tiny house. The Carapate Adventure stands at just over 10 feet (10.5 to be exact) and weighs 990 pounds. That’s incredibly light for a fully kitted out trailer, and while it might not be able to beat the best lightweight trailer on the market right now, it still comes in at the same weight as some of the big players like the Pika Timberleaf Trailer.

What’s Inside This Tasty Looking Trailer?

As micro campers go, this one looks the business. The inside of this trailer seems so much bigger than you might think by looking at the outside and it’s super homely too. It looks like the kind of thing that you might see on an affordable tiny homes edition of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, although the price tag on the Carapate Adventure will be significantly lower.

Let’s look at what’s going on inside. The sea-faring theme has been continued inside with the blue and white motif featuring strongly throughout, and there’s more of that raw-looking timber that you all know I can’t get enough of by now. The thing that interests me the most though from the picture above is the attention to detail on what my girlfriend would call ‘home comforts’. Most factory-produced campers don’t have many country-home style furnishings placed on the walls; take a look at the cubbyholes and the storage sacks that look a little like folded sails, for example. It’s a nice touch that makes this camper instantly feel like a tiny home from home.

What’s The Carapate Adventure Like To Live In?

As with many off grid trailer models, the bed takes up most of the floor space. We’ve spent some time in campers just like this one and the beds are always super comfy, so I’m 89.6% sure that this will be the same. The bed pads flip over and can be rearranged to create an L shape sofa seating area, leaving floor space for you to put on your shoes, sort out your gear, and get all of your van life essentials ready for the day ahead!

If you look a little closer on the picture above, you can also see an adjustable lamp on either side of the bed-side console for use when reading or completing any digital nomad work, as well as a central power hub that we’re going to move on to in a little while. You might also have noticed the large windows set around the van which are perfect for gazing out at your favourite van life travel park-up spots with a hot brew in your hand. Each of the windows comes with a thick blackout blind that will keep that pesky sun out and help to insulate the camper in colder climates.

There’s so much storage available for storing all of your bits and bobs inside with plenty of these quirky looking satchels available. They’re big enough to store your van life clothing, your computer, and maybe even some of the outdoorsy gear that you rely on while out on the trail like you portable solar charger or your trusty Gerber spork

Cooking Inside The Carapate Adventure

The thought of cooking in a small trailer might seem like a bit of a chore to some people, but the Carapate Adventure has solved this solution by having a kitchen setup that can be used indoor or outside depending on the weather. Right in front of the spacious front window is where you’ll find your sliding kitchen unit, complete with space for a portable burner and sink, as well as a chopping board and a tap connected to your water supply. If it’s raining cats and dogs outside, then you can batten down the hatches and cook in the comfort of your tiny eco house, using the 12V roof vent to pull out any smoke or steam from your living space. And if the sun is shining you can pull out a sliding panel and use all of the kitchen functions out in the open.

What About Power?

You have the option of including a solar panel in your build which will help you to stay away from campsites for longer and in the wild where you belong. Alternatively, you can also use the power inlet socket to plug into mains electricity in your favourite park-up spots and charge up your best power banks for use on the road.

If you’ve read our best camper van batteries article, then you’ll know that Gel batteries tend to have a better lifespan and perform better than other models on the market. The Carapate Adventure makes use of a 110Ah 12V Gel battery that is more than capable of dealing with all of your charging needs on the go. Remember the bed-side console from earlier? That gives you access to a voltmeter to check how much available juice you have, and a cigarette lighter socket for charging your USB-C devices from if you have an appropriate adapter. This panel also allows you to control the LED strip lights and reading lights inside the camper and includes 4 USB sockets and an automatic battery charger. It’s a one stop electrical shop!

Final Thoughts…

Since writing for Van Clan I’ve seen and written about a lot of trailers, and I often see a lot of the same elements featuring throughout them all. The Carapate Adventure has the key features that the other teardrop style campers have, but it has a quirkiness about it that keeps me hooked on wanting to know more. I’ve often thought that it would be nice to have a sofa in a tiny trailer, and this camper has finally solved the problem by making removable bed parts that fit neatly together. It’s a simple solution, but most of the time the simple answers usually yield the best results.

The colour and material scheme are fresh and inviting, and I’m a huge fan or the trapezoid shape that the designers have used, maximising space that would be usually lost in the teardrop curve and using it to create a pull out kitchen that gives you access from both sides. The teardrop features are there, but they’ve evolved and turned into something much better.

Now all there is to do is to talk about the cost. The Carapate Adventure will cost anywhere between €14’000 – €18’000 depending on what features you include in your final build. It’s a good price considering that you get so much included with the trailer itself, but that small symbol before the numbers will be a bit of a kick in the teeth to any of our American readers. Unfortunately, this camper is only available in Europe for the time being. But who knows; the Carapate Adventure or something very similar might make its way over the pond sooner than you think. Here’s hoping!

More Content From The Van Clan Team!

• Van life insurance exists, and here’s how to get it.
• Treat yourself and take a look at the VW California 6.
• This off road Mercedes looks like the Hulk’s holiday home.